The previous battle was about exterminating wild monsters that had been harassing a border village.
Even though it was on a small scale, it was still a battle where lives were on the line.
The moment he saw the monsters with his own eyes for the first time, a wave of déjà vu from his past life’s memories surged through his bloodstream.
It was a chilling sight, like seeing a novel’s illustration come to life in front of him.
“Now it’s a game of numbers, assess your opponent and evaluate what you have.”
However, he overcame his fear and calmly issued orders.
“Send part of our forces to the right-hand gorge to lure the enemy. Since monsters aren’t good at understanding terrain, if we guide them into the narrow path, we’ll be able to surround them easily.”
Even the senior officers were astonished by his suggestion.
Because his orders were not only precise but also had a clear effect.
In the end, the operation was a success, and the unit managed to minimize casualties while achieving victory over the monsters.
Through this battle, he, the young officer candidate, established his first official merit within the empire.
As the news spread, the court and noble society began to hail him as a ‘war hero of the next generation.’
But more than anything, upon returning from the battle, he discovered an overwhelming sense of emptiness within himself.
Even with the reassurance that following his predictions would lead to victory, his heart felt hollow.
Rather than fully enjoying the joy of victory, he worried, recalling some future calamity.
“Such a small battle isn’t nearly enough to prepare for the disasters to come.”
He muttered to himself.
One of the soldiers who had been conversing with him tilted his head in confusion but refrained from asking further questions.
As time went by, he gained more battle experience, and his rank gradually ascended.
Throughout this process, despite countless obstacles, plots, and political conflicts, he rose to become one of the most noted young figures in the empire.
By the time he had turned twenty, his name was already known in enemy territories.
“General Kareha has reportedly conquered the fortress in just three days,” reported on of the senior nobles, his surprise evident.
He would always command his troops accurately and coolly, instilling absolute trust in his soldiers.
On the frontlines, they called him ‘the young hero,’ and the common people showered him with blessings.
However, within him still lingered a cold determination.
“All this, ultimately, is to prepare for the Demon King’s arrival.”
He whispered alone in an empty room where no one could hear.
With each war victory, his influence in the empire grew, and he earned the trust of the emperor.
As power concentrated in his hands, he finally realized:
“Finally, I’ve reached a position where I can make my voice heard.”
What he kept in mind was one single thing:
When the Demon King might revive, or if an important event related to the Hero’s lineage occurs, he would personally intervene to prevent the worst.
“To that end, I must also pay attention to the rival empire where the mother of the future Hero resides.”
One evening, after returning from the battlefield, he got a chance to stay temporarily in one of the imperial palaces in the capital.
This place used to be used only by the royal family for parties or events, decorated with numerous golden ornaments and lavish paintings.
He showed no interest in the opulent furniture and decorations, but quietly noticed how similar its style and structure were to what he had read in novels from his previous life.
[To contain the powerful General Kareha, the Liberian Empire…]
[Unstoppable! Who is the one who defeated the Liberian Empire?]
Even right after returning from the battlefield, he would read newspapers around the empire and then step outside.
That night, he sat alone in the quiet garden, gazing at the moon.
Though it wasn’t a bl**d moon, there hung a mysterious moon with a slight bluish tinge overhead.
A gentle breeze swept past, brushing through his hair.
In a whisper, he said,
“The future I know has already begun to change. Perhaps everything started differing the moment I interfered in this world.”
However, there was no room for regrets.
If he had done nothing and left things be, the world would have been driven to ruin by the Demon King anyway.
Despite this divergence from the novel’s storyline, he had to prepare the best countermeasures he could.
After much solitary contemplation, he concluded:
“Apparently, the Demon King’s arrival is inevitable. I can’t change that. But I must find a way to counter it.”
His memories from the past life remained undiminished and instinctively surfaced whenever needed.
Using those memories, he devised intricate strategies and sometimes applied them to war tactics.
“Securing an easy victory even in naval battles… it must be divine favor blessing you.”
“It’s just that I employed the strategy of a famous general.”
Referring to Admiral Yi Sun-sin’s ‘Crane Wing Formation,’ Kareha confused the enemies with tactics he’d learned in his past life, causing them to crumble effortlessly.
While people around him praised him as if divinely blessed, he found all the adulation bothersome.
One day, the Demon King would surely appear, and the entire continent, including the empire, would be engulfed in the impending catastrophe.
Through the novels of his past life, Kareha already knew that only a Hero could truly defeat the Demon King.
“…Why hasn’t this guy even considered any kind of engagement yet?”
But so far, there was no sign of the ‘Hero’ anywhere.
Aisia Lil Shuhain.
According to Kareha’s calculations, the princess of the Liberian Empire should have been either engaged or married off by now.
But the changes he detected were alarming—a premonition that everything might be happening sooner or differently than expected, much like the butterfly effect.
“Is this because of me? Did my actions increase the pressure on the Liberian Empire…?”
Every night, he secretly scoured ancient records and magical manuscripts, searching for solutions.
If the Hero wouldn’t appear, was there another way to stop the Demon King?
Though it might all turn out to be futile hope, he refused to give up.
The empire’s nobles believed that he was earnestly studying and researching for the peace of the continent, and they praised him as a hero who greatly benefited the empire.
They saw him as a unique but valuable figure who brought significant advantages to the empire.
Meanwhile, he quietly and covertly prepared for the future, keeping his secrets hidden.
When he turned twenty in the spring,
he finally solidified his status as the empire’s full-fledged war hero.
In a large-scale battle at the national borders, he displayed his commanding abilities without reservation, effortlessly neutralizing the enemy invasion.
This victory elevated him to the level of a people’s idol, and the emperor personally honored his merits.
“You are the sturdy shield and spear of the empire.”
When the emperor bestowed an elevated rank upon him through a ceremony, the court rejoiced.
However, amidst the celebrations, his mind wandered back to the final memory of his previous life:
While humans indulged in their newfound peace, the Demon King resurrected, and the unprepared continent fell helplessly.
In the novels, the Hero appeared miraculously, but it was followed by immense sacrifices.
Knowing that horrifying ending in advance, he couldn’t allow himself any complacency or rest.
Having acquired such vast power and trust now, he had to prepare to face the ruthless fate.
The preparations he envisioned went beyond simple soldier training or weapon development.
He needed a ‘plan’ that could withstand the Demon King’s arrival, and ideally, a method to protect the world even without the Hero.
As night deepened, the moonlight innocently illuminated the palace garden through the vast window.
Though just an ordinary moon reflecting neither red nor blue, it felt to him like a portent of change.
With his head resting on the pillow, he sighed deeply.
“The Demon King… will surely come. I, and this world, must change by then.”
The next morning, he rose as quietly and firmly as ever.
Since he was in the palace, several young ladies approached him almost immediately, showering him with flirtatious invitations as he was now an excellent marriage prospect.
“None of that interests me.”
His stone-like demeanor sent the young ladies fleeing in disappointment.
To him, the royal honors and glamorous life were merely brief respites.
Before long, he threw himself into war preparations, national defense reforms, and diplomatic strategy development, all the while ensuring that he could act immediately should the Demon King’s shadow ever loom.
His gaze remained resolute.
It was almost as if he defined his very existence by preparing for the Demon King’s arrival, and with unwavering willpower, he lived day by day.
And perhaps at the end of this path, the fate written in the novel itself might be shaken.
But he was not afraid.
He could neither turn back nor change the direction his path had taken, and the stones in his way had to be cleared by his own hands.
After some time, he gave a slight smile.
“It’s still okay. The Demon King’s appearance is still about ten years away.”
But even to himself, those words sounded incredulous.
The world was already spiraling into turmoil.
From the moment he had brought his prior knowledge into this world, all the wheels of fate had begun to wobble.
Struggling to shake off these thoughts, moving more intensely was the only option left for him.
“Hurry up and have a kid with someone… -”
Though there was no news yet of Aisia, the Hero’s mother, marrying, the real invasion of the Demon King would cause devastating casualties, making it still possible that the Hero could emerge in time.
At the heart of the empire stood the majestic imperial palace.
The golden marble walls and towers shone brilliantly under the afternoon sun.
Numerous nobles and officials gathered there to deliberate on the empire’s policies, military operations, and diplomatic issues.
Adolf Kareha now entered that palace less frequently.
